42

In Douglas Adams’ five-book trilogy, Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy, a tale is told of a great computer, a computer so fantastic and immense that it attracted its own cult, its own priesthood (for maintenance). The sole goal of the computer, upon which it had spent thousands of years, was to find the Ultimate Answer.

After eons of thought, data collection, and deliberations, the computer finally announced that it had come to a final conclusion in its deliberations. It then proceeded to note to the expectant priests and high priest, “you’re not going to like the Answer.”

For the Ultimate Answer was... “42”.

The computer also announced that it must now begin a search for the Ultimate Question!